Eyeglasses.



L. E. SIBLEY. EYEGLASSES.

A PLICATION FILED SEPT. I. I9I5 Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

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l/Vl/E/VTOR L yman E. Siblfy BY A TTOR/VEYS To allwhom at may concern:

LYMAN E. SIBLEiY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE'MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, VOLUNTARY ASSO- CIATION.

EYEGLASSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed September 1, 1915. Serial No. 48,471.

Be it known that, I, LYMAN' E. SInLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eyeglasses, of which the following is a specification."

My invention relates to improvements in eyeglasses and has particular reference to .an improved type of folding mounting.

' The leading object of the invention is the provision of novel and improved means for securely retaining the mounting in folded position while permitting of ready opening thereof when desired.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved locking means and parts cooperating therewith which will au:

tomatically position the parts as they are moved into folded positionand will insure correct fast ning thereof and prevent accidental disengagement of the parts.

Other objects and advantages of my improved construction should be readily apparent by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompa-nying drawings, and it will be understood that I may make any modifications in the specific details of construction shown and described within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of my invention.

Figure I represents a front elevation of a mounting embodying my improvement. Fig. II represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. III represents a view in elevation with the parts in folded relation. Fig. IV represents an enlarged detail sectional view on the line IVIV of Fig. III. Fig. V rep resents a fragmentary sectional view taken ina plane at right angles to Fig. IV. Fig. VI represents a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of keeper. Fig. VII represents a plan view of another form of keeper. Fig. VIII represents a sectional view thereof on the line VIII of Fig. VII.

In the drawings, in which sim .1 characters of reference are empi a to denote correspondingparts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 denotes the frame for supporting the lenses, said. frames. being provided with the hinge connections2 for the bridge member 3, which as is illustrated in i Fig. II, may be curved forwardly away beenexperienced in securing the parts in folded relation. The folding movement is a rotary or winding one, and the locking de vice has been a radially sliding pin engaging a notch to prevent rotary unwinding. is form of locking device has been open to several objections-among which might be mentioned that the notch would slide by the pin, the locking then being only by frictioned engagement and liable to shake loose, while even when locked this notched frame is always liable'to slide radially away from the pin and thus become released. It is the purpose of my present invention to overcome these difficulties by providing a guideway into which the slotted keeper fits, said guideway preventing relative radial movement of the lens frames and having a' stop to nsure swelling the same outward and then pressing together to provide a reduced portion or neck 11, or by soldering or otherwise securing to said frame a keeper member 5 having a notch or slot 6 formed therein adapted to receive the inner end of the locking pin 7 carried by the handle 8.

The handle 8, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. IV and V, has formedtherein the lat-. erally open chamber or recess 9 having a restricted guide way or passage 10 at the inner side thereof, this passage 10 being adapted to receive the neck ll of the keeper 5, while the enlarged head or terminal portion 12 fits into the chamber 9. It will be noted that the chamber 9 terminates at one end in the abutment shoulder 15 adapted to contact with the keeper, as at 14, to limit the movement of the keeper, and thus of its frame 1 into folded position, the relation of the parts 14 and 15 being such that the keeper slot 6 will be in line with the latch pin 7 when the parts 14 and 15 are in engagement, whereby the spring 16 may force the pin inward to lock the parts together. To unlock the parts it is merely necessary to press outward on the controlling button 1'7, when the spring 3 will open out the mounting.

In Fig. VI, I have shown a slight modification of my invention in which in place of the keeper 5 beingformed integral with the frame 1, it is in the form of a separate T- shaped member soldered thereto, while in Figs. VII and VIII, I have shown the member as consisting of a plate having tongues 13 out and laterally bent therefrom and adapted to fit within a suitably shaped chamber in the handle, it being understood that the exact details of shape of both the chamber or recess in the handle and of the keeper itself may be varied as desired without in anywise departing from the spirit of' the present invention.

The advantages of my construction should be at once apparent by reference to the drawings, and it will be seen that when the head or enlarged portion 12 of the keeper is within the chamber 9 it is prevented from inward movement relativ'e to the handle on account of the restricted portion 10 which is too small to permit of the passage of the head therethrough, and consequently the spring 16 presses the pin into the notch 6 and holds the head 12 tightly against the inner side of the chamber, and it is impossible for any relative movement of the frames 1 to disengage the latch pin from the keeper slot. Similarly, the engagement of the part 14 of the keeper with the wall 15 of the chamber prevents undue folding of the parts and retains the two frames in substantially overlapped relation so that by the use of my invention not only is a much more secure locking of the parts attained, but also a more ornate appearance of the parts when folded.

I claim:

1. In an ophthalmic mounting, the combination with a pair of relatively foldable lens frames, of a projection on one of the frames, a keeper on the other of the frames,

and independent means on the keeper for engaging the projection, and looking it against axial sliding and against rotary disengaging movement.

2. In an ophthalmic mounting, the combination with a pair of relatively foldable frames, of a handle carried by "one of said frames and having a substantially T-shaped passage formed therein, a keeper on the other frame shaped to fit into said T-shaped passage, and means for locking the keeper within the passage, substantially as described.

3. In an ophthalmic mounting, the combination with a pair of lens frames adaptedto be folded one'on the other, of a stop for limiting the relative folding movement of the parts, one of said parts having an overhang, and the other of said parts having a projection interlocking with the overhang, and a spring pressed locking device for securing the parts in interlocking relation.

4. In a mounting of the character described, the combination with a lens frame of a stop carried thereby, a keeper on the other lens frame adapted to engage the stop, said keeper and lens frame having interlocking portions preventing relative sliding movement across the face of the stop, and alatch member carried by one of the lens frames and cooperating with the keeper for preventing movement of the keeper away from the stop.

5. In an ophthalmic mounting, a lens frame having a swelled portion at one side thereof and a notch in the periphery of said swelled portion, said frame having the portion intermediate the frame proper and the slot reduced in thickness to provide a substantially T-shaped projection in cross section, and a second lens frame adapted to be folded on the first, said second lens frame having a keeper with a T-shaped socket to receive the swelled portion of the first frame and a latch member to engage the notch, substantially as illustrated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LYMAN E. SIBLEY. Witnesses:

H. K. PARsoNs, E. M. HALVORSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

